Roundnet records & milestones

Inventor of roundnet

American toymaker/industrial designer Jeff Knurek invented the game (then called roundnet/Spikeball) in 1989; it was marketed by Tomy but faded by the mid-1990s. · source

Jeff Knurek

· 1989

Founder who revived the sport

Ruder found the lapsed trademark, redesigned the kit and incorporated Spikeball Inc. in Chicago in 2007; he and five friends raised $100,000 in seed money. Spikeball.com launched June 14, 2008. · source

Chris Ruder

$100,000 seed · 2007

One millionth net sold

In fall 2017 the company said it had sold its one-millionth net and was generating $15 million in sales per year. · source

Spikeball Inc.

1,000,000 sets / $15M revenue · 2017

Shark Tank appearance

On Shark Tank (filmed 2014, aired May 2015), Daymond John offered $500,000 for 20% plus control of licensing, manufacturing and retail; Ruder initially accepted but the deal collapsed before airing. · source

Spikeball Inc.

$500,000 for 20% · 2014

First College National Championship

The inaugural College Spikeball National Championship was held at Clemson University on April 29, 2017. · source

Clemson University (host)

· 2017

First ESPN2 broadcast

A Spikeball tournament held in Lancaster in May 2018 became the first roundnet event to air on ESPN2. · source

Spikeball Roundnet Association

· 2018

First Roundnet World Championship champions

Hammon/Marshall won the open men's title at the inaugural Spikeball Roundnet World Championship in Belgium (Sept 2022), where 33 countries competed; USA also swept both squad titles. · source

Assistive Touch (Buddy Hammon & Clark Marshall, USA)

33 nations · 2022

Europe sweeps individual world titles

At the 2024 IRF Worlds in Guildford (UK), European pairs won all three individual divisions (Germany men, Austria women, Switzerland mixed) while USA retained both squad titles. · source

European teams (GER, AUT, SUI)

3 of 3 individual golds · 2024

World + National champion in one season

Same team also won the Spikeball Tour Series national title in Oct 2022, a rare double; recognized as first inductees in the STS Hall of Fame. · source

Assistive Touch (Buddy Hammon & Clark Marshall)

· 2022

Back-to-back national champions

Tyler Cisek and Peter Jon Showalter won the Spikeball Roundnet Association national title in 2017 and repeated in 2018 and 2019. · source

Cisek / Showalter

3 straight titles · 2017-2019

International Roundnet Federation membership

As of July 2025 the IRF counted 44 member nations (24 Europe, 9 Americas, 7 Asia, 2 Africa, 1 Oceania). · source

International Roundnet Federation

44 nations · 2025